Portugal's LNK Filmes has announced a host of acquisitions, further strengthening its market position as well as that of its expanding umbrella holding company JRP.

Pick-ups concluded at the AFM, according to commercial manager Luis Froes, who co-handles international acquisitions, include Joel Schumacher's The Phantom Of The Opera, Michael Winterbottom's Code 46, John Boorman's Country Of The Skulls, and Olias Barco's Snowboarder. In Berlin, LNK Filmes took all Portuguese rights to Winterbottom's Golden Bear prize-winner In This World.

Finally, the distributor says it has taken all rights on Michael Cuesta's L.I.E. from Menemsha Entertainment following the film's triple win last weekend of best film, best director and best actor (Paul Franklin Dano) in the Directors' Week competition of Portugal's leading international film festival, Fantasporto.

LNK Filmes releases about 50 titles per year and has rights in Portugal to many of the season's hottest films, including multiple Oscar nominees and the Lord Of The Rings series. Froes added that the company recently renewed an output agreement with Myriad Pictures for three years and in February signed a 30-title deal with public broadcaster RTP.

LNK Filmes is the theatrical distribution arm of four year-old holding company JRP, started by general manager Joao Paulo Abreu and brothers Ramiro and Ricardo Vieira.

JRP is currently undergoing a major expansion effort including a planned 33 new screens by year's end for exhibition arm Socorama, a joint venture with Castello-Lopes which currently owns 75 screens across Portugal, and plans to construct family entertainment centres around its multiplexes.

It also aims to beef up its video and DVD distribution activities through LNK Video, which handles Fox and MGM product, and transform and grow its music store chain Valentim de Carvalho.